Help sought for QC girl born with scoliosis

MANILA, Philippines—Though suffering from congenital scoliosis, 4-year-old Kail Yazmin Cristobal of Teachers Village-West, Quezon City, is an active and inquisitive girl who enjoys singing and dancing. She was diagnosed with thoracic insufficiency syndrome when she was just six months old.

Because her spine has an 89-degree curve, Kail is considered short for her age. “Her ribcage is constricted so she uses only her left lung. Her right lung is compromised by the curve in her spine. She experiences shortness of breath and says it is painful and hard for her to breathe,” said Kail’s father, Jan-Christian Cristobal, an employee of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

According to Cristobal, his daughter needs to undergo modified expansion thoracoplasty, a surgical procedure costing P1.1 million, to have a rod implanted and gradually correct the alignment of her spine. “Kail is fully aware of what she is going through.

She is confident that she will triumph over the challenges she is facing. Our family is thanking those who will help and support her in her journey,” he said. Jan-Christian Cristobal can be contacted at 0998-9992410 and 4264786. Donations can be deposited in his BPI Kalayaan account (1999-1053-82). Santiago R. Alcantara